West Virginia Started 441 Transportation Projects in Year-One of Infrastructure Law, New Report Shows
WASHINGTON, Nov. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --– West Virginia leveraged $626.4 million in federal highway and bridge formula funds in FY 2022 to help jumpstart 441 new improvement projects in communities across the state during the first year of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), a review of U.S. Treasury Department data through September 30 shows.
"A key takeaway from the Treasury data is that the bipartisan infrastructure law is working in year-one as intended, with state transportation departments disbursing funds and projects breaking ground," said American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) Chief Economist Dr. Alison Premo Black, who prepared the report.
"The economic and quality of life benefits of the infrastructure law will become even more apparent as funding continues in coming years," adds ARTBA Chair Paula Hammond, a WSP USA senior vice president. "The beneficiaries of these long-term investments will be the American traveling public in their communities."
President Joe Biden signed the IIJA into law Nov. 15, 2021. Nearly 90 percent of IIJA's highway funds are dispersed by existing formula to states, with the remainder distributed through discretionary grant awards and other allocated programs.
Nationally, over 29,000 IIJA projects were launched through the end of September. The five largest projects supported by formula funds in West Virginia are:
Statewide, GARVEE Bond Debt Repayments for 2017 Projects - $38.3 million
Preliminary Engineering to Construction Four Lanes on US 48, Parsons-Davis - $37.8 million
Bridge Replacements in Marion on I-79, Little Creek Bridge, Yanero Bridge, Wades Run Bridge - $36.0 million
Preliminary Engineering for Bridge Rehabilitation in Monongalia, I-79 - $31.8 million
New Bridge Construction and Upgrade to 6 Lanes in Putnam, I-64 - $26.0 million
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